Three sailors had to be rescued by helicopter after their vessel ran into trouble in storms off Bermuda last night.

The American men raised the alarm from their 35-feet catamaran Winds-or-Knot early yesterday evening, about 230 miles east of Cape Hatteras. The rescue operation was performed by the US Coast Guard in Norfolk, Virginia, but due to strong winds it was decided it would be safer to bring them to the Island than return them to America.

Officials at Bermuda Harbour Radio said the sailors landed in Bermuda at 8 p.m. It is believed they were all fit and well.